Inspiration in a bottle! Not what you think…..
I knew if I looked hard enough, I would find inspiration somewhere in my studio. With the diverse sizes and shapes of sea glass, it’s usually not far away, but alas – how to turn it into something wearable! For many years I have been looking at antique sea glass bottlenecks wondering how to make them more elegant and dress them up. I also flirted with using them horizontally. But one day, it occurred to me finally to match them with lovely glass beads I had collected. Then the idea got better when I realized I could incorporate some really fabulous beads from fellow artisan Beth Williams. The bottlenecks are a limited commodity – hard to find and preciously old. But if they are to be worn, they should stand out and be statement pieces. I have matched them to a collection of vintage chains to accentuate the age factor & give them a bit of funkiness. Then I thought, they really aren’t always recognizable for what t
hey were in their original life, so the wonderful Clark Linehan photographed them for me with my antique bottle collection and now “voila” they are in context and even more appealing. I can’t wait for them to be out in the world again as conversation pieces – where they likely started lives – a medicinal cure, a social cure, or a charming scent, or a “nip” at the end of a long work week! Let your imagination run wild! I look forward to sharing many more of these new designs at the upcoming Cape Ann Artisans Studio Tour and the other events coming up! To see more about the tour, check out our video overview of the studio visits.
